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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25898485">Number 8 : The Tide</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Amberspark/pseuds/Amberspark'>Amberspark</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>The Séance and The Tide [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The Umbrella Academy (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Bonding, Canon Rewrite, Canon-Typical Violence, Childhood Trauma, Eventual Happy Ending, Eventual Romance, F/M, Family Conflict, Fights, Flashbacks, Jealousy, Kissing, Making Out, Recreational Drug Use, you are number 8</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-09-03</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 12:02:26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Explicit</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>9,875</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25898485</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Amberspark/pseuds/Amberspark</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>On the first of October 1989,<br/>43 children with special abilities were born. Sir Reginald Hargreeves tried to collect as many of them as possible. But one resilient couple refused the offer and tried to raise their surprise child on their own.<br/>When her powers grow too strong they have to take up the offer and give her into the Umbrella Academy's care.<br/>There two outsiders bond and eventually fall in love.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Allison Hargreeves &amp; Reader, Ben Hargreeves &amp; Reader, Diego Hargreeves &amp; Reader, Klaus Hargreeves/Reader, Luther Hargreeves &amp; Reader, Number Five | The Boy (Umbrella Academy) &amp; Reader, Vanya Hargreeves &amp; Reader</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>The Séance and The Tide [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1879375</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>54</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Beginnings</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>1rst of October 1989<br/>
 The day started like any other. A young couple, they had just moved in together, much to the dismay of her father, had breakfast at their kitchen table. It was late, around 11 am and she had plans of going out with some of her friends later on. They wanted to go to the park, watch the colorful trees, and maybe have a coffee afterward. </p><p>He exited the kitchen, a plate of omelets in one hand, with the other he was balancing a cup of coffee. The tip of his tongue was peaking out at the side of his mouth, eyebrows scrunched in concentration. “Okay… Okaaaay” He made careful steps towards the table, trying to prevent the coffee from spilling. The liquid was sloshing dangerously. She was watching him with an amused grin. He always did his best to treat his girl. </p><p>They met during her university exchange. He worked a day job as a janitor. They saw each other in the hallways, exchanging longing glances, and before they knew it love struck them hard. The romance lasted a few months and when she had to leave again they decided to risk it all and buy a flat. </p><p>Her parents had been more than angry. They warned her about moving in with someone she hardly knew, basically throwing her out and cutting her university fund. But against all odds, it worked out. They were still in love as if it was the first day. </p><p>“Ha, ha! See, I didn’t spill it!” He laughed triumphantly, setting down the cup and giving his girl a chaste kiss. She giggled, grinning up towards him then cupping the mug with both hands. “ I never doubt it.” She smelled the coffee, humming happily. </p><p>They ate mostly in silence. The radio in the kitchen created soft background music. She finished her second cup of coffee, glancing up towards the clock that sat on top of the fridge. It was 11.50 am and she still had to take a shower and pack her back before her friends came to pick her up. “ This was delicious.” She stood slowly, the chair scratching against the linoleum floor. With quick strides she moved to her love, kissing him on the cheek. </p><p>“I have to pack my stuff now. Can you pick me up later?” She exited through the door, speaking to him over the hallway. He pushed his plate aside, grabbing the newspaper and opening it slowly. “Sure, do you know where or what time?” He asked while browsing over the sports page. <br/>
“I guess around 8? It gets dark quite early and Sue has to catch her train.” Her voice faded away when she entered the bathroom. With a soft thump her clothes landed on the tiles, she kicked them aside and closed the door with her elbow.</p><p>He sat in the kitchen, his cup of coffee still steaming. After reading the sports articles he moved on to the local news. They lived in a small town, not a lot happened there. Some stories about a charity run, the new playground opened its gates, and something about the renovation of the local pool. He flipped the page with a soft sigh when a scream erupted from the bathroom.</p><p>He put the newspaper down, a deep frown on his face “ Darling?”  Another scream and a yelp reached through the bathroom door. His eyes widened in panic.</p><p>He pushed the chair away, not caring that it crashed to the floor. In a few quick strides, he moved towards the bathroom door, opening it. </p><p>Nothing could have prepared him for what he had to witness. </p><p><br/>
___________________________</p><p>After the most unbelievable 2 hours of his life, he found himself on the sofa. A drink in his hand, his eyes trained on the small bundle of bloodied blankets that his girl held close to her chest. </p><p>She was shushing the baby, her fingers gliding over its tiny cheeks. </p><p>It was a girl. </p><p>Out of nowhere, he had been gifted with a baby girl. He was no religious man but even he knew that that baby had to be something special. </p><p>He leaned back, taking another sip of his drink when a loud knock on the front door made him jump.  He looked at it with wide eyes, she pulled the baby a little closer to her chest. <br/>
“I’ll see who it is.” He said, with a stern voice. </p><p><br/>
As if the other events of that Sunday morning hadn't been enough for him.</p><p>He opened the door to an eccentric looking man. A sort of old pilot cap on his head and a monocle squeezed between his eyebrow and cheek. </p><p>“Good day to you young man.” He announced, already peaking over his shoulder to study the apartment.  “ I am here to take that little surprise off of your hands.” He nodded towards the young man, silently asking him for the okay to enter. But he didn’t wait for it and pushed past him, finding the way towards the living room without a hassle. </p><p>The man was stunned, he looked after the bearded guest and with shock noticed the woman waiting in the hallway with a stroller. She had a stern look, clothed in all black. </p><p>He gasped, quickly walking back into the flat where he saw the man lean over the baby. </p><p>“Don’t touch her.” He warned the man with unknown protectiveness. The child may have come out of nowhere but it was still theirs. </p><p>“Oh please,” The older man, who he now recognized as Sir Reginal Hargreeves, stood straight, scoffing at him. “ I’ll make you an offer for it.” He pulled a bundle of money out of the inside of his coat jacket.<br/>
“How much do you want for it?” He peeled away some of the banknotes, studying the child before adding another bill to the bunch. “Someone in a position as yourself surely has a good use for the sum I am willing to pay.” With a disgusted look, he studied the blank walls and worn-out furniture. </p><p>“No, we…. I don’t sell the baby.” She spoke up, looking down at the buddle in her arms. “It’s ours.” She sat up a little more straight. </p><p>“Well, you can see that however, you want to. But the reality is that this child is special. It poses special traits that I want to put to good use.” He clicked his tongue, making the woman in the hallway push the stroller into the small living room. </p><p>“I intend to teach them and let’s be clear: You are in no position to raise a child. Much less such a special specimen.” He nodded towards the baby. <br/>
“ If you give it to me, you grand the child a chance at growing up with children similar to it. I am certain you would want to best for it, no?”  </p><p>“ The best for a baby is a family. Not a rich prick buying her to train like some kind of circus animal.” She spoke through clenched teeth. Her eyes were full of anger. </p><p>Sir Reginald Hargeeves watched the baby murmur in her arms, her tiny hand reaching out to her mother's finger. <br/>
Seven would have to be enough. </p><p>“Do I understand correctly that the deal is off then?” He asked, pushing the stack of bills back into his coat. His stern look moving between the young couple.</p><p>“We won’t sell our baby.” He announced with a strong voice.<br/>
Hargreeves nodded, giving the woman with the stroller a gesture to leave. <br/>
“So be it. But don’t be surprised if it is too much to handle. “</p><p>With a swift stride, he left the small apartment. Just before leaving, he turned back around, pushing a small card into the young man's hand.<br/>
“ In case you do change your mind.” He nodded goodbye to the woman in the living room. His eyes stayed on the baby for a second. </p><p>“Good day,” He spoke, quickly walking off. </p><p><br/>
__________________________<br/>
12 of march 1995 </p><p>When looking back, it seems to be one of your earliest memories. Your mother had sat you down on the sofa with a coloring book, a bunch of pens, and a cup of water that she forced you to drink each morning before she headed off to work. She was shuffling around in the kitchen, searching for her key like most mornings. While not the best parenting method, it always gave her some time to set you down in front of the TV. In between the breakfast show the channel showed children animations. You watched the colorful animals on the screen, absently playing with the water in the cup. </p><p><br/>
The sensation on the drops seemingly following your fingertips always brought joy. </p><p>From her position in the kitchen, your mother watched the droplets levitated out of the cup, following your small hands in every direction. The powers had gotten stronger. They first appeared with only a few months of age when she tried to bath you against your wailing cries. The bathwater simply moved away, refusing to touch your skin. <br/>
“Oh no, Y/n darling. I told you not to play with the water.” She scolded you softly. </p><p>With a small gasp, the water drops fell onto the carpet and drawing book. The pages quickly soak up the water. You frowned at the soggy spots on the page but quickly looked up when the cartoon was interrupted by a newscast. </p><p>A young woman with short, puffy hair told a story about a group of children. You didn’t care much about what she said, more interested in the picture that was being broadcasted. Seven children close to your age stood on the steps of a big building. Each of them wore a uniform and a strange mask, obscuring their eyes. </p><p>You shouted for your mum to come and see but she was already watching the Tv, her lost key had dropped to the floor once more. </p><p>“Mama look! They are like me!” You shouted excitedly. At that time you didn’t understand why your mum grabbed a tissue trying to obscure the tears of panic that ran down her cheeks.</p><p>______________________ <br/>
9th of August 2003</p><p>It was a hot summer day and your friends had asked you to join them on a trip to the local pool. The site was packed, many people tried to escape the exhausting heat. You sat on a blanket on the grass under the shade of one of the few trees. Jessie had brought her new comic book. It was the latest edition of the Umbrella Academy series and a circle had formed around her. Everyone wanted to get a glimpse at the new story and a fight had broken out over who gets to keep the new sticker sheet. The picture displaying Luther with a charming grin created quite a fuzz. </p><p>You leaned back, watching the people move around your group and the teenagers bathing in the pool. The sight of Jake Bennett turned your face into a frown. He was the biggest school bully, regular picking on you for your parents' lack of money. They worked hard. Your dad still worked at the university now in the position of head janitor, it made him feel quite proud. Your mother decided to work from home after the arrival of your younger sisters. She now worked in publishing, editing books for a small publishing house. They earned enough to live in a bigger flat than the one you grew up in but it wasn’t nearly enough for 3 holidays a year or mobile phones. </p><p>Mary reached over to you, poking your side to get your attention.  <br/>
"Hey, Y/n are you joining us for another swim? We wanna get some fries after.” She stood, fastening her black bikini top. All of the girls started to wear the new triangle top bikini, leaving little to the imagination. They were hoping to attract the attention of some of the boys. <br/>
Your mother felt uncomfortable buying you something so small for such a high price and instead got you a standard swimsuit with a floral pattern. You thanked her regardless and tried to convince yourself that you like it. </p><p>The four of you made your way to the pool, you tried to ignore the whispers and laughs from the group of boys as best as possible. </p><p>“Hey, hey Y/n!” It was Jake, he leaned on his side, chest puffed up, a sly grin on his lips. You kept walking, ignoring him.</p><p>“Y/n, hey! I wanna ask you something!” He called after you, the boys around him laughing already. </p><p>Your jaw clenched, but you kept going. </p><p>“Y/n C’mon! It’s not nice to ignore someone.” He called after you. When you didn’t react he got up, a few of his friends following him to the side of the pool where he caught up with you. </p><p>You huffed, but turning to him regardless. “What is it?” You asked, teeth clenched. </p><p>“I just wanted to know, did you buy that swimsuit in a vintage store, or was it up for grabs at the junkyard,” Jake asked in a serious tone before breaking out into bellowing laughter. His friends looked shocked but quickly joined in. </p><p>You watched him with angry eyes. The emotion grew quickly, swelling into a sense of hate. </p><p>A hand gently took yours, Jessie whispered in your ear to ignore him and follow her into the water. But you resisted, starring the boy down. </p><p>He must have either felt threatened or cocky because he continued his little game. <br/>
“I mean it’s hot. Or it was back in 1976!” He spat, his friends couldn’t stop laughing. </p><p>You felt tears rising to your eyes, they started to cloud your vision. With a swift movement, you pushed them away. Jake saw it nonetheless.</p><p>“Oh no! Have I made the little miss cry? Too bad. I guess you just have to go back to your poor ass parents when you can’t handle-” </p><p>Pure white anger burned inside of you. It tore right through you, all circuits burning through. <br/>
With a swift movement, you curled your fingers into a first.</p><p>What happened after was going to change your life forever. </p><p>A huge tunnel of water rose from the pool, shooting out towards the bully and trapping him inside of it. Screams erupted from the crowd in the pool, the people tried to leave the water as fast as possible. Mothers were shoving their children out onto the side of the pool. Everyone was watching you with big eyes, pure terror on their faces. </p><p>Jake tried to breathe, water rushing into his lungs. The grin of his face was instantly replaced by sheer horror. It made you smile.</p><p><br/>
 <strong>Served him right.</strong> </p><p>It felt good to be in control. You ignored the running people, simply watching the boy struggle for breath.</p><p><br/>
 <strong>Why not have some fun?</strong></p><p>You let the massive bubble of water around him drop to the floor, creating a huge puddle on the side of the pool nearly reaching up to your knees. Jake lay on the floor, gasping for air and shuffling away from you with quick panicked moves.</p><p>“Apologize.”  You demanded watching the sad little worm squirm on the ground. He looked up in fear, still coughing way too much to talk.</p><p>“I said” An arm of water wrapped around his waist, he looked down pushing at the water mass but his fingers couldn't grasp anything.</p><p>“Apologize” You pulled your hand towards yourself, a grin on your lips. You watched him being pulled into the pool painfully slow. <br/>
He was gasping, crying but not apologizing so you kept going. </p><p>He went under quickly, his attempts as grasping onto the wall and side of the pool didn’t help at all. Once he was under the surface you got another idea. </p><p>With a turn of your wrist, the surface of the pool froze, a thick layer of ice formed over Jake's struggling form.<br/>
He tried to break through, hitting and banging his hands against the surface. <br/>
It felt so good to finally give him payback for all the pain he had caused you. <br/>
With a quick glaze, you noticed that everyone had left. A few lifeguards panicky spoked into walkie talkies, calling form backup but they wouldn’t be able to fight you. <br/>
Jake grew weaker, he didn’t bang against the ice as much as he did in the beginning. </p><p>Was it cruel to drown him under the ice on such a warm summer day?</p><p><strong> Sure, but he deserved it.</strong> </p><p>Suddenly a painful sensation rolled up your shoulder.  You looked down to see a knife embedded into your arm. With a gasp you tried to pull it out, wincing at the feeling of your warm blood, trickling down the side of your arm. You gasped, letting it fall to the floor with a clattering noise. </p><p>It distracted you long enough to stop your powers. The ice quickly melted away, revealing the floating body of the boy. You watched a lifeguard jump into the water, pulling Jake on land. </p><p>Suddenly the sheer size of the situation came crashing down on you. You nearly downed a kid. Tears rose to your eyes watching the lifeguard performing CPR on the boy.</p><p>You touched your bleeding shoulder, the blood loss was making you dizzy. The voice of a girl pulled you from your thoughts. She stood a few feet away from you. A group of teens stood behind her watching you with different expressions. </p><p>The Umbrella Academy.</p><p>“Hey,” the girl, Allison, called you to attention. You knew what was coming next but you didn’t have the energy to fight it.</p><p>“<em>I heard a rumor</em>, that you are going to lose consciousness”, she spoke.</p><p><br/>
And in an instant the world closed in around you, you fell for what felt like millennia. A soft gasp escaped your lips when you hit your head on the side of the pool.</p><p>You heard a laugh coming from somewhere around you. “ Woah! Right on the head!” A boy giggled, the last thing you saw was him, biting down on his fist to stop his laughter.</p><p>Then it all faded away.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Nightly visit</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Of couse I made a playlist Thanks for joining once again!</p><p>https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3f9J5uhN9dHkA6QGz67JkV?si=1k4vpf11ThmX2x7ZtpACrw</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>24th of March 2019 1.18 pm</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The comfort of your velvet pillowcase was the only real cure after yet another double shift at Griddy's. Agnes had been kind enough to close up for you so that you could head home a little earlier. You took home a sandwich that now rested on the kitchen table next to the half-empty can of soda. Work was draining and at times working with customers seemed like a curse. But you liked the small independent life you had built for yourself. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You pulled the blankets further up your chin when a particularly cold gust of wind swept through the bedroom. March had been quite mid so far but the night temperatures kept dropping to an uncomfortable cold. Bean left your apartment this morning and hadn’t returned for the night, forcing you to keep the window open in case he would return later.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>But instead of scratching on the window, it was obnoxiously loud knocking that forced you to get up. Someone, a certain Someone had once again managed to get into your building and was now knocking at the door whispering and singing your name against the dark wood. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You sighed, lifting the blankets. You hissed at the cold that instantly swept into your feet once they touched the floorboards. The alarm on your nightstand read 1.18 pm, the middle of the night and you had to work early tomorrow. Fucking great. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>You contemplated for a bit to let him sit this one out and have him stay in the hallway. But even after the trouble and anger he had caused you, once again, you didn’t have the heart to deny him. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>This was the first time Klaus showed up after a good 4 weeks of disappearance and zero contact with you. And it hurt even more than the last time…..</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You stood up, fingers ghosting along the wall to find the light switch. With a gentle click the warm light of your bedroom light turned on, it wasn’t too much to blind you but enough to prevent falling asleep again. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Y/n… c’mon~” He sang, body pressed against the door frame, his hands gliding over the wood, creating a strange sound. “ Please..” He offered, sounding a little whiny. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Jesus Christ…” You gave in to his pleas, slowly making your way to the door. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The blinding light from the building's hallway made you cover your eyes. But you quickly blinked against the light, when your eyes managed to adjust to it. You focused on the person in front of you. Klaus was still leaning against the door frame, he was swaying slightly, using the wall to keep himself upright. His black jacket was slightly wet, the fur on his sleeves was gathered in wet clumps. He was grinning at you with a cheeky grin. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He had been trying to get your attention for a few minutes and slowly lost hope that you would let him in. He had already started planning his way to the closest YMCA or whatever dumpster he could find to shield him from the rain. When number 8 did open the door he couldn’t fight the grin spreading over his lips. He carefully pushed himself off of the wall.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hey!” He cheered with a hoarse voice, his hands opening towards you in an attempt to pull you into a hug, you noticed how his hands were trembling. And you weren’t going to have it. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He stood there, watching your small eyes and tired look. His small falter a bit and Klaus slowly placed his hands back in his coat pockets. The rejection hurt but it was to be expected after his most recent mess up. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Why are you here? It’s the middle of the night.” You spoke in a hushed voice, rubbing your eyes to wake yourself. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Klaus gave a little giggle before explaining “ Oh you see, me and Diego were going to get some waffles when he was called by his lil' detective girlfriend. So he dropped me off at that bus stop on the avenue and I wanted to see how you are doing an-” He tried to keep up his cheery facade but you saw right through it. His eyes were bloodshot, hands trembling and he had that look in his eyes that told you he had fallen back into the habit. He was so close to getting rid of it. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You interrupted him quickly “Not so loud, the neighbors.” He stopped instantly, leaning forward and comically placing a finger on his lips. But your lack of reaction made him drop it in an instant. He suddenly felt very self-conscious, the high extinguished by your somber reaction. He stood straight again, hands gripping at the fur on his sleeves. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I.. I need a place to crash. The academy is umm... “ He stopped at the sudden rush of emotions, feeling like he needed a smoke. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You sighed deeply. So much for a good night's rest before tomorrow's shift. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Go on.” You stepped aside, managing a small smile when Klaus blew you a kiss while passing. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He stood in the living room, watching your stuff for a moment. The sound of your voice from behind him made him jump slightly. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m too tired to convert the sofa, we’ll have to share the bed.” You announced, gently taking hold of his jacket to help him take it off. You didn’t want the wet leather in bed and he surely didn’t care about taking it off. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The unexpected gesture gave Klaus a boost of confidence, let out a low whistle. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sharing a bed, huh?” But his flirty attempt failed when you ignored him, hanging the jacket on the rack behind the door. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You simply walked around him, entering the bedroom and laying down in your usual spot on the queen-sized bed. You had no time and no energy to deal with his jokes right now. So you just settled back under the blanket, asking him to turn off the light when he would come to bed. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Klaus still stood in the living room, carefully watching you. He should have known that you wouldn't appreciate a nighty visit. Especially not after 4 weeks of radio silence. He was about to leave when you called him over. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“ Are you coming? I need to work tomorrow and I can’t afford to be late.” You pet the spot next to you. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He followed, sitting down on the bed to take his boots off. It felt much different from the last time. Klaus quietly settled down next to you, a pang of sadness ran through him when you didn’t turn around to face him. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Night.” You said, reaching out to shut the light. Sleep was pulling you under, your body relaxed till you felt an arm around your waist. You were going to ignore it. He was high and something seemed to drag him down but then he leaned in further, his nose in your hair. You froze,</span>
</p><p>
  <span> “Oh no, we are not doing this.” taking his arm, removing it from your side. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Only sober people get to cuddle and make out.” You ignored his whining, grabbing your pillow and blanket to move further away from him. His gaze bore into your back, the puppy dog look you couldn’t resist but this time you did. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“But. I missed you…” He whined, leaning on his side to hover above you” I haven’t seen you in weeks..”. He was about to reach out to touch your cheek when you sat up.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh yeah? Now, who’s fault is that?” You were angry now. It was one thing to just randomly show up in the middle of the night. But the audacity to try and claim pitty for it. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You took your pillow, gathering it up under your arm. “I’ll take the sofa. I can’t stand you right now.” with a quick pull you had the blanket bunched up against your chest but a careful hand against your hip stopped you from getting up. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“No, no wait,” he spoke, more panic in his voice than he wanted to let on. “ Please, just stay. I don’t want to fight.” Suddenly Klaus looked very deflated. The shine in his eyes gone, replaced by a somber plea to make you stay by his side. He looked exhausted and you knew that when you were to leave he would just break down.  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You sighed, rubbing your fingers over your eyes and the bridge of your nose. “ Okay, fine. But I am still angry with you.” You put the pillow back down. Klaus quickly moved back onto his side of the bed, a small smile tugging at his lips. “ Who isn’t he spoke under his breath, laying back and covering his eyes with his forearm. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You settle back down next to him, ignoring his comment and making sure that you leave enough space between the two of you.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“We’re going to talk about it tomorrow. I’ll drive you home on my way to work.” You turned back on your side. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Klaus watched your back for a bit, the way your muscles moved slightly when you exhaled. He really fucked up this time. </span>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>The last bits of firewood crackled in the small chimney, the warmth radiating through the room. Outside it was snowing again, Klaus loved to watch the small crystal flakes silently fall against the glass, melting slowly. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span> You lay on your side, the thick blanket pulled up to your chest, leaving only your bare shoulders exposed. A few bruises and scratch marks decorated the skin, some of them dipping under the white sheets.  </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>The two of you had spent the last week at a ski and wellness resort in the mountains. Your parents had sent you a gift card for a one week trip since they wouldn’t make it for Christmas this year. Your parents moved away when one of your sisters got a scholarship in California and with that, your contact and relationship with them had weakened.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Klaus took a deep breath, the warmth of the fire gently radiated against his back, he closed his eyes. It was hard to believe that it had been a whole week without taking any pills. He had a smoke every now and then but stayed sober otherwise. No nightmare, no ghosts crawling at his back, even Ben seemed to have left him at peace. </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>He dreaded going back home. </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>A soft yawn took his attention. He leaned in closer, placing his forehead against your back. He never felt so calm and at peace. </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>The tingling of his beard against your skin and the feeling of his soft lips, kissing your back woke you slowly. Every day felt like waking up to a dream.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Hey,” You spoke softly, your voice still raspy from sleep. A puff of breath hit your shoulder blade when he let out a small laugh.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Hey, baby.” Klaus leaned over you to kiss your cheek. “Did you catch some sleep?” He asked cheekily, leaning in to catch your lips.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>You smiled into it, humming against his lips. You turned on your back to grand him better access. The two of you stayed like that, kissing each other away for a little longer. But you had to stop him when his hand snuck under the blanket to lift your thigh.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Only once tho, I’m a little sore.” You held his cheek, a smile spreading on your lips when he leaned into it, closing his eyes. </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Sure, but you know…” He leaned forwards, kissing along your cheek and jaw. “ No one said how long once can last.” You felt his cheeky grin against your neck, making you chuckle.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The loud ringing or your phone woke you from the dream. It had only been a month ago but felt like it had been ages. Everything had felt so right like it was all coming together. You wanted to tell him that you loved him but in the end, you chickened out. Why ruin what you have? </span>
</p><p>
  <span>It all came apart again but at least it wasn’t your fault. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You tried to sit up with a groan but Klaus right arm, draped over your belly stopped your momentum. He had pushed his face against your shoulder, leg draped over yours like a child clutching his plushy.</span>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Get off…” You cursed under your breath, your heartbreaking when he let go with a frown, still asleep. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The stupid phone still sat on the kitchen table next to the sandwich, the smell of old, warm tomatoes slices lingered in the kitchen. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You tiptoed over there in the dark, grabbing the phone and nearly dropping it. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hello?...” You asked groggily, a look outside told you that it was still dark outside, maybe around 5 am. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Y/n? It is you dear?” It was Agnes, she sounded nervous. There were voices in the background and the sound of cars. She seemed to be outside. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, what’s going on Agnes?” The two of you had been working together for a few years. She had been very happy to work with a young woman and quickly developed motherly feelings for you. At the end of each shift, she would pack you a little snack to take home or a bag of leftover donuts for the other members of the academy. Only Vanya occasionally visited the cafe and Agnes frequently asked how the others were doing. You were still living at home when the others used to sneak out for doughnuts and Agnes remembered serving them at some point in time. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“There uh…” The older woman paused for a moment, seemingly looking at her surroundings before taking again.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I was about to close up when these… these men came in and destroyed the shop…” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She was trailing off again. You frowned, leaning against the table to keep you on your feet. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>You were still half asleep, slowly coming to terms that you had been dreaming and that you were only remembering the wonderful encounter….</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You heard something clink in the bedroom, a string of cursed following. Klaus was mumbling something, getting more agitated by the minute. So Ben was back, too. A small smile appeared on your lips. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I just called to tell you that you don’t have to come over. The police are still here and I don’t think that we can open the shop today.” Agnes explained over the phone. Your gaze was still in the bedroom. Klaus was quickly pulling on his shirt, tinkering with your bedroom drawer. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>That fucking Wiesel was out for your savings. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You shook your head, focusing on the call. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Uh yeah. I guess I’ll see you around then?” You took a few steps into the hallway. Peaking into the bedroom, you saw Klaus picking a few bills out of your savings, stuffing them into his pockets. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Pathetic. And you believed he had changed.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“ Call me when you know more, okay?” Klaus stood up straight at the sound of your voice from behind him. You positioned yourself in the doorway, blocking the exit.  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Agnes agreed, ending the call. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You crossed your arms, watching him, your jaw set. He looked at you, an innocent smile on his lips. “Shut up.” He pressed through his lips, his eyes moving into the spot on the bed for just a split second. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Stealing from me? Really?” You slowly shook your head, disappointment filling you.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tears were stringing in your eyes. It wasn’t just the fact that he was willing to take your savings. But you knew exactly what he was going to spend it on. You thought the two of you had left that person behind in the resort. But here he was, trying to sneak out in the middle of the night to get the next high. Who knows when he would show up again. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I need the money. I’ll pay you back but I need uh… Coo-” He glanced at the bed before settling on “ Coffee” He grinned, head shifting to the side like a puppy.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You scoffed. “ Sure. Coffee.” You took a step towards him, “ You know, I don’t mind borrowing you some. But showing up in the middle of the night, high as a kite and then stealing my tips before the break of dawn? That’s even below you.” You stood in front of him, staring at the necklace around his neck. You felt your lower lip beginning to shake but you swallowed down your tears.</span>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Your silence was making him uneasy, he was about to reach out and touch you when you grabbed the sides of his shirt, pushing him. You hardly put any force into it, so he simply took a step back, regaining his balance. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>His expression faltered when he saw your watery eyes, </span>
  <strong>
    <span>How do you manage to always fuck it up?”</span>
  </strong>
  <span> Ben leaned back on the bed, a sorrow frown on his face when he watched you walk back to the kitchen without another word. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Klaus sighed, straightening his shirt. “For once in your life. Could you just shut your stupid cakehole?” He let out a shaky laugh, his walls of sarcasm building up again. He set his jaw, looking his brother straight in the eye. “Sorry I forgot, life isn’t your thing anymore.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He fumbled around with his pockets to find a cigarette. One of the bank notes brushed against his fingers, deepening his guilt.</span>
</p><p>
  <span> He pulled them out, carefully laying them back in the jar. He had to find a different way to get some money. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Ben just scoffed, shaking his head “</span>
  <strong>
    <span>You were really close to the grand prize, you know that right.” </span>
  </strong>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Klaus chuckled, “ Yeah, thanks for constantly reminding me about it.” He finally found a cigarette, placing it between his lips with shaky fingers. He was about to light it up when he remembered, no smoking in the apartment. “Fuck” He set the lighter down again, bunching the Tabacco back in his pocket. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He sighed, massaging the bridge of his nose. Nothing seemed to make him numb enough for all this bullshit. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Didn’t you say something about waffles?” You called from the kitchen, placing the coffee pot under the machine. You too were back with your old habits. Burying your feelings until you couldn’t contain them anymore. Not healthy either but it wouldn’t instantly destroy your liver so that was a plus.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What?” Klaus called from the bedroom, still unsure of your emotional state. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Last night, you said something about getting waffles. Do you still want some? “ He froze on his way to the kitchen, a little started at your sudden change of mode. “Uh yeah, we were craving some waffles… Or eggs-” He carefully leaned on the wall, watching you beat a few eggs in a metal bowl. The smell of warm butter filled his nostrils. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Well, I assume it had been some time since you last ate real food.” You added a little bit of sugar in the bowl. “The eggs fried or scrambled?” You moved around to the fridge, giving him a small smile. It was a peace offering, at least for now.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Klaus opened his mouth to speak, it took him a few seconds to answer.” Uh, fried. Ben says he prefers the smell.” He had to swallow when he saw the grin you showed at the supposed empty space next to him. He had been so painfully close to that domestic bliss. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“How about you take a shower and then we eat? Your clothes are in the lower part of the closet.“ You cracked open the egg, the white sizzling in the hot pan. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yeah sure..” He nodded, slipping out of the room.</span>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  <span>______________________________</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He got the full diner experience and he felt both great and horrible at the same time. He missed her, but after missing out on that first call he felt too ashamed to contact you. And then it had all spiraled from there. They had called you Goldie when you first arrived. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The golden child is always great, always perfectly loved, and with no care in the world. Your problems didn’t matter compared to what the others had to go through and soon you were an outsider.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“ So, how are things?” You asked, sipping on your coffee. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Klaus poked his egg with the fork, thinking for a moment. “ Oh well, you know..” He nodded to himself, poking to yolk a little too hard “We are fighting again like always.” He watched the yellow spill over his plate, “Luther and Diego got into a fistfight during the funeral” Klaus chuckled.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>His expression fell when he saw your upset look. “ You already held the funeral?” The mug was set down a little too hard, making the coffee spill over the sides. “ When?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Klaus dipped a piece of toast in the eggs yolk “ Um like 15 hours ago…” He ducked his head, too afraid to look at the woman next to him. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Your jaw shifted, head nodding slightly. Of course, you weren’t invited, why would you?</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Klaus watched you with concern, “But it was nothing big. Just close friends and family.” His eyes widened slightly, noticing his mistake. Ben did a facepalm sitting on the chair opposite of him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>You had made an extra waffle and fried egg just for the ghost, and Klaus hated you for being too kind and considerate. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You scoffed again, taking your mug again and drinking slowly. “ I should have expected that. I called in the other day to give my condolences. Pogo didn’t say anything about it.” It was the normal state of things. You had always been excluded and since moving out they all seemed to have forgotten about you.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Klaus reached out to take your hand but stopped halfway, pulling his hand back under the table. “I’m sorry, I didn’t-” But you stopped him quickly. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“ No, don’t worry. I knew you were busy.” You gave him a small smile but he could see right through the pain. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Both of you kept quiet for a bit, simply sitting and eating. A soft meow broke the silence. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The black cat trotted into the kitchen, rubbing against Klaus's leather-clad leg. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh hey, it’s Bean! My favorite little cockblock.” He reached down to pet the cat. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>You watched the interaction quietly. They both got along well and it always warms your heart. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>K</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I felt a bit unsure of my writing for Klaus but I found a great interview in which Rber Sheehan explains a lot about his character study and his own thoughts on his work in the first few episodes. He says that in retrospective he went a lit overboard with the whole ~glamoury weirdness~ so I write him a little more tones down. I feel like a lit fo the extra stuff he puts on his a way to hide his feelings and with the rader he doesn't feel the need to do so. </p><p> </p><p>Please tell me your thoughts in the comments. Love u bye!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. New Family</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>14 August 2003</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>You looked up into the great hall that appeared before you. It was huge, elegant compared to the houses you’ve seen before and if this was the entrance, you wondered what the rest of the house must look like. </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Master Hargreaves will see you shortly. Please take a seat at the fireplace.” Your gaze shifted to the formally dressed chimpanzee that led you into the house. He seemed kind, yet utmost loyal and static. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Yes, thank you.” Your mother nodded, bending her knees slightly in a small bow. She was just as overwhelmed as you were. It had been a busy and stressful day since the pool accident. Your parents picked you up quickly after, sitting you down in the car to engage in conversation with Sir Hargreeves. In a matter of 48 hours, your life turned upside down. Most of your belongings were packed up the next day, your parents insisted that you’d visit the Umbrella academy solely to seek advice on how to handle your powers.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>But you weren’t dumb. They wanted to ditch you, get the problem off their hands. Up until the gates to the mansion opened, your father insisted that you’d only stay for the weekend, if at all. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Bullshit.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Your mother adjusted the frilly jacket that hung over your arms. They made you dress up nicely, a pink dress, the one you wore on Maddie and Josie’s first day of school 3 years ago. </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>With a sigh you followed them into the grand hall, a painting hung over the fireplace.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>The boy’s eyes captured you instantly. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>_________________</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five was back. Just like that and you had no idea how to deal with that information. The two of you never met, you joined a few months after his disappearance, to be honest, I hadn't been the best timing. It must have felt like Regginaled was treating children, if one is gone we’ll just buy a new one. I was what you felt from the others. They were cold towards you, treating you like the outsider you were, a guest nothing else. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You sighed, looking over to Klaus on the shotgun seat. He was watching the streets and pedestrians go by, a cigarette hung between his fingers outside of the car window. He seemed to be in a strange rested state, after a somewhat good night's sleep and real breakfast but he was going cold turkey. Judging by his past relapses, there had been so many that it almost felt ridiculous to still believe in a day of sobriety, it wouldn’t take long for him to go back on his little drug quest. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You knew he consumed excessively but never in your presence.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“That’s it, we're here.” Pulling the car into a halt in front of the main entrance, you gave Klaus a tight smile. He took a moment to sniff out his cigarette but did not attempt to get out. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Aren’t you going to park?” He asked, vaguely pointing towards the small street leading to the mansions back alley.</span>
</p><p>
  <span> You coked an eyebrow, “Uh no, I said I’d drive you around…” A car behind you started honking at you, yelling to get moving again.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What? No! Come on in. I can, uh- “ Klaus thought for a moment, thinking of a bait that you might be interested in. “I’ll make you a margarita.” He snapped his fingers, pointing at you with a goofy smile.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You simply huffed a laugh “ I don’t think that’s a good Idea with everyone around-” The drivers behind you were getting more agitated. You looked into the rear mirror, contemplating. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“C’mon…” Klaus placed his left hand over yours, squeezing it gently. He had that puppy dog look again. He knew exactly that you could never resist it. </span>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  <span>With a sigh you put on your indicators, driving into the small alley. Klaus couldn’t help but smile at his achievement. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>____</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>I took you a moment to find your key to the mansion's main entrance, it sat on your keychain, surrounded by the keys to the diner and your flat keys. And even after a good few months of not using it, I stepped into the lock without much of a hassle. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The heavy wooden door opened, allowing the view to the grand entrance. Even after so many years of living there, you hadn't gotten used to it. </span>
</p><p>
  <span> You opened the door slowly, Klaus slipping in next to you.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Ah, home sweet home!” He exclaimed, throwing his hands into the air and doing a little twirl, you just smiled weakly. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He was too focused on the plates sitting behind the glass doors of Hargreeves' glass-fronted cabinet to notice Pogo, approaching him with slow steps.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>You were leaned against a pillar, watching the interaction with a sly grin. Klaus would get scolded in just a second and you were going to enjoy it. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The butler got closer, coming to a halt next to the red sofa, he cleared his throat to announce his presence. Klaus was too busy sneaking a look into his father's collection, he jumped, turning around quickly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Christ on a cracker! “ he cursed, closing his eyes for a moment before turning towards the chimpanzee. “Pogo?” He asked, closing the cabinet door slowly.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Pogo stood still, watching the man with a tired expression. “ My apologies, Master Klaus. Miss Y/n.” He nodded towards you, you answered with a small smile.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Pogo turned his attention back to Klaus, “ I have a query for you.” His dark eyes fixed on number 4. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh?” Klaus answered, looking at you with comically raised eyebrows. Here we go again, he was to his overly goofy facade.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Items from your father’s office have gone missing. In particular, an ornate box with a pearl inlay.” Pogo explained calmly. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You sighed, crossing your arms. Typical. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Really?” He asked, leaning over the sofa. “ You don’t say…” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You shook your head, “ Why am I not surprised” You mumble to yourself.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Any idea where it went?” Pogo asked. Klaus took a moment, seemingly in thought. YOu had wondered how he had gotten hold of the money necessary to fund his self-destructive habit and stealing wasn’t anything new. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He sighed, “ No, no, no. No Idea…” He shrugged “ Sorry.” He faked a frown before arguing with someone sitting on the sofa, most likely Ben. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Would you shut up!” He exclaimed. Yes, so it was Ben.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Pogo looked mortified before collecting himself quickly “ Excuse me?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Pogo, I didn’t mean you, I just….I-” He stumbled around the furniture. “ You know, there’s been a lot of stuff I’ve been dealing with.” He was going for the dramatic approach, you grinned entirely. And Pogo surely had to deal with enough of his bullshit, too. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Just a lot of memories coming up. All those good times.” He smiled at you but then he focused back on Pogo with a frown “ Well not so many good times as really awful, terrible depressing times.” He concluded, coming to a stop in front of Pogo.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The butler wasn’t impressed “ The contents of that box are… priceless. Were they to find their way back into the office, whoever took it would be absolved of any blame or consequences.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You sighed again, massaging the bridge of your nose. After all these years Klaus still bullshited his way through most situations. He looked at you, pretending to be impressed by Pogo’s words but you blocked him quickly. A small pang of rejection moved over his face.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh, well, lucky bastard.” He said, more aggressive than he intended. But Pogo stayed professional. Clicking his tongue “ Indeed.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Klaus turned away from him, walking over to you but you weren’t in the mood to face him after yet another one of his stupid schemes. You pushed off the pillar, taking a step away from it when Klaus leaned against it with his elbow. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh, Pogo,” You asked, making him turn around and look at you. Your relationship had been rather neutral, respectful but distant. “ Did you get today’s newspaper? I am looking for an article about something from last night.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He smiled, somewhat happy to finally do his job again. “ Certainly. I placed it in the study but I will gladly fetch it for you.” He nodded, taking off.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>You sat down on the sofa, watching the expensive furniture and paintings. Klaus lit up another cigarette, taking a long drag before chuckling to himself. It made you even more annoyed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span> You turned towards him, “ You know what? I’m not even surprised.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He huffed, shrugging “ What?” He looked at your unimpressed look “ It’s not that bad. Not like anyone will miss it.” He shrugged again, taking another shaky breath through the tobacco. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You stayed seated, shaking your head.</span>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“So, are you coming?” Klaus nodded towards the stares. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You paused for a moment “Uh, no. I want to know what happened to my workplace last night and quite frankly, I need a break from you. “ You thanked Pogo when he returned, handing you the newspaper. Klaus stayed silent, watching the tiles, idly taking his smoke.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>When Pogo disappeared around the corner he continued “ I thought we were going to talk…. I don’t like-” He hastily pointed between the two of you “ this… weird not really sexual tension.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You angrily set down the paper.” Well too bad! If I have to wait a whole month to hear from you, you can surely find something to keep you occupied until I find the time to deal with you.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He huffed, making a sound in an attempt to find a counter-argument. We watched you, his lower jaw open, ready to protest but he was only met with the wall of paper, obscuring your face. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He looked at Ben in hopes of back up but his brother simply shrugged, grinning at your sudden stubbornness. Klaus deserved it, he keeps throwing you around, tying you in closer only to drop you again once he felt like all these feelings were getting too much too handle. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Right,” Klaus said weakly, softly gesturing to the spiral staircase leading to the upper floor. “ I’ll be in my room in case you are looking for me…” He hoped for a response but you simply hummed, pretending to be invested in the writing.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He left with a sigh. Once he was out of reach you lowered the paper. Were you being too harsh? No, he had to learn that you don’t exist solely for his entertainment. You had your own interests and desires and he had to learn to respect them, live with the rejection. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You signed, picking up the paper again, the event from last night made it to the front page of the local news:</span>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  <span>‘Armed robbery and attack on local cafe’ </span>
</p><p>
  <strong>
    <span>On the night of the 24th of March 2019, a group of 3 to 4 masked men entered the doughnut cafe ‘ Griddies’ around 11 pm. They were armed and presumably intended to rob the store. The attackers left with no money on hand but caused a great amount of damage. Only one waitress and a few customers were present at the time of the attack…</span>
  </strong>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You huffed, poor Agnes had to witness this. There hadn't been any news from her so you thought about paying your place of work a little visit later on. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The low rumble of the front door grasped your attention. Someone was entering the building, someone with a key. You carefully set the paper down, listening to the sound of light footsteps. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Five?” Vanya called from the foyer, walking into the house with slow steps. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You hadn’t seen her in a few months. Out of all the other Hargreeves siblings she was closest to you. Initially, there had been a little quarrel between the two of you. SHe didn’t like how an outsider could enter the family, much less someone with powers. It made her feel even less. But as you got older she came to appreciate your friendship and understood that the two of you weren’t so different. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Vanya?” You turned around, watching her come into view. She seemed confused for a moment, watching you with furrowed eyebrows. It wasn’t often that you came over, the last time must have been nearly a year ago…</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh, hey Y/n….” She greeted you with a weak smile that didn’t reach her eyes. Her hands were twitching a little, indicating that she seemed to be in a hurry. “ What- What are you doing here?” She tried to sound nice, simply interested in your affairs but she didn’t manage to hide the genuine surprise. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I, um, I was giving Klaus a lift.” You set down the paper next to you. “ I got a day off. There was some attack on Griddies yesterday…” You explained, watching her reaction but Vanya did not focus on you. She was looking around, searching for something or someone in the gallery. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She didn’t notice the pregnant pause between your words and her reaction. With a hum, she looked back at you an apologetic smile on her lips. “ Right, sorry. I gotta go..” She turned her thumb towards the staircase, already moving towards it. </span>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, sure. I’ll be leaving soon, anyway.” You nodded, somewhat releasing her to let her run upstairs. With a huff you leaned back, closing your eyes. Even after over 15 years of knowing the Umbrella Academy, some things would never change. And you had tried to change them, giving your time and energy to help create something that at least felt remotely like a family. But that hope was dwindling. You watched how all of you made the same mistakes again and again and every promise to get better and change was simply a lie. You had your own life now, even it mostly centered around cats and waffles, it was much better than what the others were putting up with. And you had gotten tired of helping those who don’t want it. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Be careful, no one likes a Mary Sue…” </span>
  </em>
  <span>You huffed a laugh remembering Klaus little speech when you first snuck out with him at night. You simply needed a break, listening to the rain under the small pavilion and he missed the calming effect of nicotine…</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You opened your eyes again, checking the time on the big clock sitting atop the fireplace. It was close to noon, and a lot of housework had piled up over the last few days. Getting up from the sofa, you paused for a moment. Should you tell Klaus that you were leaving? He seemed upset earlier, he tried to keep it hidden under his over the top charismatic attitude but after your time spent with him, it was no challenge to look right through it. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You made your way upstairs towards the bedrooms but Klaus' enthusiastic voice made you slow down.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“...I mean was I really young when I had you? Like, 16? Young and...terribly misguided?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Sure.” Another voice sounded, a boy, youngish… Oh damn, what had Klaus gotten himself into this time? Some child kidnapping…</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Your mother, that slut.” Klaus spoke through gritted teeth. You felt a cold shower running down your neck, your pace getting faster.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Whoever she was. We met at … the disco…” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You were close to reaching the top of the stairs, stepping carefully.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Okay? Remember that.” He snapped his fingers” Oh my god, the sex was amazing.” Klaus groaned, and it threw you off guard, enough to forget your plan of secrecy. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“ Klaus. What the fuck.” You called from behind them, watching him and the boy, dressed in the Umbrella uniform. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Klaus turned around, gasping his eyes widening “Y/n! Look, we have a son!” He exclaimed, pointing towards the boy, who in turn watched you with a scrutinizing look. He made a few steps towards you, moving slowly with a strong sense of confidence. He came to a halt before you, taking hold of your left wrist to take a good look at it, it’s a lack of marking. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Is she your girlfriend?” He asked Klaus without looking at him, his hand still holding your wrist. He was a lot stronger than he looked.  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You were still too baffled to speak, simply watching the boy, he had a strong presence that made you shy away from a little.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Uh, well kinda but-” Klaus was stumbling over his words. About the ramble on but you interrupted him. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m Y/n. Number 8.” You spoke with a strong voice, keeping eye contact with the boy. He nodded curtly. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“The Tide.” He let go of your wrist, “ I think we haven’t met. We missed each other by a few months.” Some emotions shifted behind his eyes, softening his gaze before leaving completely. He straightened his jacket before holding out his hand. His suspicious attitude suddenly shifted. “I’m five.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You blinked, glancing up at Klaus. He was watching with curiosity when you took five’s hand, in a strong handshake. Five cleared his throat, repositioning his stance. “ I have a favor to ask of you and since you are the only stable, adult person in this household.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Klaus gasped dramatically. “Betrail! By my own flesh and blood!” It made you chuckle softly before focusing back on five who simply ignored his brother. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I need to get access to a specific data bank to find out who this prosthetic belongs to.” He quickly flashed you the glass eye. “ But they won’t let me talk to anyone since I am physically underage.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You nodded, following his words.” So you need us to act as your legal guardian?” You shied away from using the word parent. Playing family with Klaus had felt too real on several occasions and you weren’t comfortable with falling back into the habit just yet. You tried to restrain yourself from the memories from last year's domestic bliss. It was good while it had lasted.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Exactly. You seemed to be dressed appropriately. Once we get him into a fitting outfit I would like for us to take off.” He rudely pointed his thumb towards Klaus. Underlying annoyance and frustration stained his voice.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yeah sure, we can use my car. I’ll wait outside.” You offered, receiving a grateful but tight smile from five. You passed both of them to make your way to the car. Five was shoving Klaus towards Reginald's dressing room, cursing to him to shut his mouth. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Daddy will be right back!” Klaus called after you. Blowing you a small kiss through the wooden bars of the handrail. You tried to fight the grin that was spreading over your lips. Klaus knew how to make you smile and he also knew that he never failed. It was both a curse and a gift. You wanted to be angry at him and you had every right but then, Klaus was just being him</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Please tell me your thougts and ideas in the comments :) </p><p>Thanks for reading!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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